This weekend a monk seal hauled up on Diamond Head beach to get some rest, exciting beach goers. 

There was the guy who ran up to photograph the seal as it was wriggling out of the water, putting his phone within a few feet of its head.  

There was the kid that lay down beside the seal and put his arm around it. The monk seal tried to bite him and the kid ran away. 

There was a flurry of picture taking as people posed with the seal. 

And then there were these guys: 

Given all the flurry of activity around the monk seal, it seems like a good time for a public reminder that monk seals are endangered and it is illegal to disturb or harm them. Violations can result in fines as high as $50,000 and carry a year in prison.

You can read more about people in Hawaii who have run afoul of the Endangered Species Act here. 

Monk seals are also powerful animals and can carry a serious bite. 

— Sophie Cocke